


Family

by AlAngel



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, Sad, Samuel is a dick, emotional h/c, unhealthy family relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2018-12-23 10:40:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11988123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlAngel/pseuds/AlAngel
Summary: This is the story of (y/n) Campbell and how she learned what being part of the Campbell family meant. | Part I : You’ve been wanting to leave the family business for a while but you knew better. Your family had always needed you – Or did they?





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> A/n: This going to be a four to five part story. It will take a while for the “pairing” to appear, there will be hints starting next chapter. I think it’s totally obvious but I won’t mention the name till part 4 to keep you guessing. Anyway have fun. Well as much fun as this can be. It’s pretty sad, because remember not all families are happy.

Title: Family – PART I  
Characters: ??? x Campbell!reader, Mary x sister!reader, Samuel Campbell x daughter!reader  
Warnings: emotional h/c, unhealthy family relationships, sad, Samuel is a dick,  
Word Count: ~1.3k  
Summary: You’ve been wanting to leave the family business for a while but you knew better. Your family had always needed you – Or did they?  
This is the story of (y/n) Campbell and how she learned what being part of the Campbell family meant.  
A/n: This going to be a four to five part story. It will take a while for the “pairing” to appear, there will be hints starting next chapter. I think it’s totally obvious but I won’t mention the name till part 4 to keep you guessing. Anyway have fun. Well as much fun as this can be. It’s pretty sad, because remember not all families are happy.  
…  
You looked out through your window. The sounds of the black impala rang in your ears as an overwhelming amount of sadness filled you. They left and if what just happened was an indication you wouldn’t see either of them ever again. Dean turned the lights on as he sped down the road in an angry pace. Part of you was glad he didn’t forget how to drive save in all his anger, but the greatest part of your heart was just sad to have lost even the last members of your family.

"What if we left it all behind?" There was a sparkle in Mary’s eyes "What if we could be normal for once?"  
"We can't" you tried to brush your younger sister off, but deep down you were hoping for the same. You never had the deep bond Mary formed with your parents over the family business. Sometimes they could go on and on discussing the best approach, your father always a bit more radical and Mary very liberal when it came to taking a monsters life. You never seemed to fit into their special father-daughter bond, always more the research and stay back with the car daughter. But no matter your feelings about the family business you couldn't just go and leave the rest of them. Although Mary was definitely your father’s favourite they banged heads on more days than they didn’t and your mother wasn’t much of a mediator. So it was up to you to calm their Campbell tempers, most often that got you in the crossfire but they weren’t the only stubborn ones and you could take a couple of jabs and rough words. Worth it to keep the family together.  
"Like you never thought about it" Mary said a dreamy look on her still so very young face. She still had the dreams you had given up to protect your family from themselves. If it weren't for that you could be off in college, a dream you had always had. As the researcher of the Campbell clan the idea of school and studying had always appealed to you. But looking over at Mary and her dreamy face you knew you couldn’t leave her to fend for herself against your father.  
"I’m too old to run away” You shrugged turning your face away a little so she couldn’t make out your expression even though you were hiding in absolute darkness “What makes you dream big?”  
"I met someone" Your sister whispered "And he's so amazingly normal and has no clue about what's actually out there. With him I wished I had no clue either…"  
A broad grin spread over your face. Mary probably couldn't see the glee in your eyes in the darkness of your current hideout, but it was there. With the soft, slightly dreamy tone in your baby sister’s voice she had fallen head over heels for this guy.  
"But don't tell dad" she added in a hushed voice "it's all what ifs and I don't even know if John and I are meant to be and… dad would be furious if he knew."  
"You’d get grounded for the rest of your life" you giggled still filled with happiness for her.  
"Tell me I'm not crazy" Mary suddenly sounded serious "Tell me you too think there's more to life than hunting."  
"I wanted to go to college" you said quietly for the first time in your life admitting it aloud. You never before had anyone to confide in since your parents both had hunting in their blood and Mary had always been your baby sister you didn't want to bother her, since you were two years older you were the one taking care of her not the other way round. Plus your family wasn't that big on talking things out anyway, especially with Samuel Campbell and his Campbell stubbornness. Campbell’s weren’t talkers.   
"Why didn't you go?"  
Mary asked but before you got to reply your father gave the signal and both of you dashed out of the hideout. Your last thought before your brain focused solemnly on the current hunt was how you stayed to make sure your family was happy. They needed you as mediator more than you need college.

Mary and your father had been arguing in raised voices for the past half an hour. You hadn’t known what about when you first came home from a quick run to the nearby store, though their voices were loud enough that while putting groceries away you got a pretty good picture. Your father wanted to go on a hunt tomorrow night, taking Mary along but Mary said she already had made plans with someone.  
“What’s more important to you than this?” Samuel Campbell was yelling from the other end of the house “I feel like I don’t even know you anymore, Mary.”  
“I told you I’ve made plans with John” Mary argued right back, her temper almost as heated as your fathers. She was really serious about this John guy and you were proud of her for standing up for what she wanted.  
You shook your head as you put the last groceries away, a deep sigh escape your lips before you went down the house to find them. Your mother was nowhere to be seen, but even if she were around she wasn’t much help when your sister and father clashed heads like this. This was why you stayed really, they needed you.  
You entered the living room right while Mary was still yelling. “It’s date night, dad! I made a promise to be there. It’s not the end of the world.”  
“It’s showing your priorities quite clearly, young lady” Your father growled “What’s next? Will you skip all family hunts to be with your civilian?”  
“Dad” You said almost quietly, the calmness against both their tempers was most often what made them listen. It wasn’t what you said really more how you said it “Let Mary go and enjoy her date. I’ll come and help.”  
“You don’t do wendigoes” He cut you off, looking at Mary “You’re coming.”  
For a split second you let yourself feel the hurt even if it was his normal choice to not bring you, you’d choose your sister over you for hunts any day. However with your father being the man he was, getting hurt or worked up never helped so you pushed to feeling away, focusing on what you had come in to do.  
“I won’t” Mary snapped crossing her arms in front of her chest “You can’t order me around.”  
“You’re grounded until further notices”  
“I should just try and go to college like (y/n)” Marys tone was quiet, but still challenging, her eyes filled with defiance against your father. Her words created the stunned, shocked silence she had obviously been hoping for. With her head high she left the room to grab her jacket and get out of the house. Your father slowly turned to stare you down, your heartbeat sped up. He was never meant to find out!  
“You’re grounded too” His voice was just as quiet and passive angry as Marys “Until you learn what family means. You don’t leave family behind, (y/n).”  
That night up packed up and left anyway. You hadn’t enrolled anywhere and you’d probably have to work for a year or two to even afford it first. But it didn’t matter. Your dad wanted you to learn what family meant? Fine. Let them see how they could cope on their own. Family meant not going behind each other’s back and ranting secrets out to your father. Obviously you weren’t the one who didn’t understand family. But what could you do? You had always been second best anyway.


	2. Chapter II - Meet your brother-in-law

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone very unexpected turns up on your doorstep. He reminds you of all the things you thought you had left behind and all the things you couldn’t have anymore.

Title: Family – PART II  
Characters: ??? x Campbell!reader,  
Warnings: emotional h/c, unhealthy family relationships, John sucks at parenting,  
Word Count: ~1.6k  
Summary: Someone very unexpected turns up on your doorstep. He reminds you of all the things you thought you had left behind and all the things you couldn’t have anymore.

This is the story of (y/n) Campbell and how she learned what being part of the Campbell family meant.

A/n: This going to be a four to five part story. It will take a while for the “pairing” to appear, there will be hints starting next chapter. I think it’s totally obvious but I won’t mention the name till part 4 to keep you guessing. Anyway have fun. Well as much fun as this can be. It’s pretty sad, because remember not all families are happy.  
....

The impala had been out of your drive away for at least half a minute, maybe longer but you still stared at the empty space. The sound of the engine was following the lights down the road. With every turn of wheels your heart seemed to ache more. You didn’t know Sam and Dean as well as you wished you did, but they were still family. Or at least that had been family until tonight. You weren’t so sure about that anymore.

 

“John?” You had to close and reopen your eyes twice to make sure this was really John Winchester on your door step. It had been years since you last seen him, but he hadn’t changed much. His dark hair was still cut in the same way, though the naive sunny smile you remembered so clear had dimmed. The man standing on your porch now had deep lines on his face, his eyes red from suppressed tears.

“(y/n)” Your name sounded so foreign when he said it. Almost like a bad memory since these days you mostly went by a nickname. The name your parents had once chosen just part of a past you accepted but didn’t want any part anymore.

“Where’s Mary?” You asked the one most important question. You hadn’t heard from your sister since she send you that card for your parent’s funeral. It was an ordinary invitation like the ones you’d sent to distant relatives, notifying them but hoping they wouldn’t actually show. Mary had added a small handwritten note - Passed away on a hunt. And that had been that. No matter the fall out you and your father had it seemed appropriate to go. Only had some trickster decided to stop by your college just around that weekend. So you did what you knew you dad would have wanted.

“She’s gone” John’s voice was full of bottled up emotions and you found your own breath stuck in your throat. You had expected a lot bur never your brother in law standing on your ridiculously small porch telling you your baby sister was… gone. Before you could say anything, something stirred behind John. Your eyes left his devastated form to see what or who was behind him. Even though it was the middle of the night and the porch was only illuminated by the small light of your hallway your shocked eyes could clearly make out the two kids. The older one was barely the height of your hips while the baby he held onto couldn’t have been older than 8 or 9 months maybe even less. You never had kids so guessing their age was hard for you.

“I told you to wait in the car” John sighed stepping to the side so you could get a good look at the boys “Meet your nephews, Sam and Dean”

“My…” You hadn’t known you had nephews! You looked at the two like they were aliens from outer space. Nephews! And their names. You clearly recognized what Mary had done there, a reminder of your passed away parents. “Come in” You finally stepped aside to let the small family pass into your tiny house. It wasn’t much but it was enough for what you needed.

You watched two tired tiny boys and their father walk down your hallway towards the living room. The door was slightly open, light from your late night reading still turned on. Seeing them walk down there a strong feeling of loss and hurt came over you, them being here meant that you baby sister was gone forever.

A silent tear rolled down your cheek as you took longer than necessary to lock the door back up. A million and one questions surged through your brain and to none did you find any satisfying answer.

By the shock written all over Johns handsome features you were almost certain that it was a what that had gotten your sister. Why didn’t she stop hunting like she planned? For a moment you let regret fill the holes in your heart that were left by the loss of your last living family member. Maybe you shouldn’t have given up on your father back then. Maybe it hadn’t been too late back then, because now it certainly was.

Wiping away all the tears that had joined the single one you let slip you walked down the hallway. There were no voices coming from your living room and you could already imagine the sad scene of the new widower and his two kids on your already tiny and sad sofa. You didn’t know what John knew about the supernatural but by the haunted despair in his eyes it was left to you to tell him what was out there and what had taken his wife.

When you followed them into the living room the scene that unfolded was just as you imagined. John sat on the couch, face in his hands, while the boys sat next to him, pressed to his side in both fear and shyness. You raeally wished you’d have met your nephews under different circumstances.

“I’ve got a spare bedroom upstairs” You announced, making your voice as quiet and calm as you could. Whatever happened to Mary it had shaken her whole little family. “Why don’t you boys get some rest while I talk to your father?”

You saw how the hands of the oldest kid clang to his younger brother as if scared to lose him too. It broke your heart how he just held on afraid to ever let go. Your words had at least caused John to lift his head and look at you, there was so much pain and tiredness written all over his face. But in the calmness of the moment you also noticed the bottled up boiling anger flashing in his bright eyes. It was the same look you had when you heard about something taking out your parents and if it weren’t for the three men in your living room you’d probably have the same mad gleam and the desire to take out what or who took your baby sister away. But you swallowed all rage, you’d scream and cry later. Right now you had different priorities first.

“It’s alright” You heard John say “You go with (y/n). Try get some sleep.”

The doubt in his voice lay heavy in air. No one would get any restful sleep tonight, the nightmares only a heartbeat away. Still you wanted to tuck the boys away in a warm and safe bed before you had to have the inevitable conversation with John. While the kid followed you upstairs, the older still carrying his tiny baby brother, you ran through a list of all family enemies in your head. Mary would have been careful to keep known threats away from her kids wouldn’t she? But she wouldn’t have engaged in new hunts drawing danger to them either.

When you turned off the light looking back at your quiet nephews, you leaned against the door frame of the spare bedroom your colleague from work had occupied before he eventually moved to the master bedroom with you. A part of you liked the idea of the spare room becoming a nursery but you also knew it was off the table.

A smile tugged on your lips as you watched over them. They were so small and innocent, and they didn’t deserve what happened to their family tonight. “What have you done, Mary?”

The low rumbling of an engine pulled you out of your thoughts, immediately you abandoned your position at the door to sprint down the stairs. Your front was unlocked and a fast rage settled in your guts. Opening your door you saw the impala almost pulling out of your driving way. The lights of the car were shining right in your eyes making them tear up and close for a second. Though the glimpse of a look you got at John’s face had told you enough. He gave into the rage and desperate need for revenge, he wanted to hurt whatever hurt his wife like that. Without a second thought you grabbed a hand full of pebbles from your driveway throwing them at the departing car. The loud sound of stone clashing on the metal made John halt.

“John!” You were almost screaming although the car wasn’t even halfway out the driveway yet. Your own anger mixed with the disappointment and rage directed at John. “Stop”

Using his small pause you ran down to the car that had pulled out of your driveway halfway already. A minute more and he would have been gone. But with your fast former hunter instincts you’d gotten there, now knocking angrily against his window till he finally got out. His whole body was shaking with anger, most of it not caused by you but he directed it at you now. All the bitterness, hurt and loss came crashing down making his face twist in anger.

“What are you thinking?” You hissed although you knew exactly what John Winchester wanted more than anything in the world. Revenge.

“You’ve got two boys tucked upstairs. You don’t run from that.” You said while John stared at you. His expression of rage slowly changed into something cold and indifferent.

“Maybe it was a mistake coming to you” He said “You don’t know nothing. Not about me, my boys or what happened. You turned your back on your own family for a fancy college degree. You’re not family.”

John turned towards your house and you watched him collect his boys. They drove off with you still staring at the pebble dents you left on the car and the bitter taste of having lost the nephews you just met.

It was funny really. Whenever someone claimed you turned from your family it always seemed like they were the ones walking away.


	3. Chapter III - Unlikely Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When another unexpected vistor turns up and you stand up for yourself for the first time it becomes very clear that there is no going back to the way your family had been.

Title: Family – PART III  
Characters: ??? x Campbell!reader, Samuel Campbell x daughter!reader  
Warnings: emotional h/c, unhealthy family relationships, Samuel is an ass big time,  
Word Count: ~800  
Summary: When another unexpected vistor turns up and you stand up for yourself for the first time it becomes very clear that there is no going back to the way your family had been.

This is the story of (y/n) Campbell and how she learned what being part of the Campbell family meant.

A/n: This going to be a four to five part story. It will take a while for the “pairing” to appear, there will be hints starting next chapter. I think it’s totally obvious but I won’t mention the name till part 4 to keep you guessing. Anyway have fun. Well as much fun as this can be. It’s pretty sad, because remember not all families are happy.  
...

You has come to terms with probably never seeing your father again. When Mary wrote to you about your parents’ death your suspicion was confirmed. So to say you were shocked was still an understatement when Samuel Campbell turned up on your door step one day.

 

You were home alone at the time, probably better that way, when he barged in. He hadn’t changed in all those years, his face was still the same grim and sour expression, and his eyes still managed to draw the need to obey out in you. It was close to thirty years that he had been gone from your life and nothing had changed. He was the same man, only bitterer.

“Hello (y/n)” He said as he sat on the sofa of your living room as if you were the one who just walked into his house. “You’ve been well playing civilian?”

His very first words were a jab at the one decision you made for yourself. The one decision he had driven you to.

“Can’t complain” You said warily, not sure what to do with the situation. You had heard whispers about the Winchester boys coming back from the dead multiple times. Actually you still held a small amount of anger in your heart about what you called the Mystery Spot incidents. And a small part of you had hoped that Mary was Winchester enough to maybe come back too. The boys deserved having their mother around after all they did to protect the world. You were proud of the nephews you had always kept track of though never let them meet you. It had been Johns call to tell them they had at least some family left.

“So… this place looks rather empty. No little band of rugrats?” he asked looking around curiously “I’ve met one of Mary’s boys and your brothers little band of hunters. You seemed like the type to become a stay at home mom.”

Pain surged through you, not physical but almost. Your father had always known how to push your buttons. But like the million times before you wouldn’t let him. You didn’t need kids and the perfect suburban life. And you would hate to stay at home doing nothing. No. No matter how empty he made your life sound you had been happy like this for a long time. Right till he showed up to make you feel like a rebellious, unruly child.

“My life is fine” You said carefully, a calm edge in your voice you hadn’t dared show him before. Maybe it wasn’t the same as thirty years ago after all.

“Yes of course” He nodded “Because what would you know about family anyway?”

“What do you want?” You asked finally done. For the first time you really raised your voice at your father, anger surging through you. All you ever wanted was to be free of their constant criticism, jabs and unfair treatment. All you wanted was to be free of their poisons view of how a family was supposed to be.

“See that’s why I always like Mary better” A small tug lightened up his face, giving a little glimpse behind the bitterness “She had spark. You were a push over, trying to make us all get along. And when you thought you could take no more you ran to college. Sometimes I wonder if you’re actually a Campbell.”

“What. Do. You. Want?”

“We’re getting Mary back” He said “And I won’t let anything untried to make that happen. Even if it means taking you back into the family clan.”

“What if I don’t want back in?”

“Mary’s your sister. What have you done for her while we we’re gone? Sam didn’t even mention you. Have you done anything, anything, to help her or the boys?”

“Mary was my sister” You said although it broke your heart “And that sister is gone. And so were you.”

“I see” Samuel Campbell rose from your small sofa towering to his full height and looking at you with resentment “You truly are no real Campbell. Never were really. You are no daughter of mine, (y/n).”

And then he left. You watched his back as he turned to leave your life to presumably try and get your sister back. As you watched him leave the feeling that you never had been enough settled in your guts. You had tried so hard to be a good daughter, a good sister, family, but you failed. All you wanted was for your father to look at you like he looked at Mary. However he couldn’t and he never would, you realised. Samuel Campbell, the man who talked big time about family, had no idea how to love his own family.


	4. Part IV - Last Living Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone very unexpected turns up on your doorstep. He reminds you of all the things you thought you had left behind and all the things you couldn’t have anymore.

Title: Family – PART IV  
Characters: Gabriel x Campbell!reader, Samuel Campbell x daughter!reader  
Warnings: emotional h/c, unhealthy family relationships, Dean doesn’t understand,  
Word Count: ~900  
Summary: One last family reunion.

This is the story of (y/n) Campbell and how she learned what being part of the Campbell family meant.  
...

“You know this isn’t your fault right?” You felt a warm chest against your back and a pair of strong arms wrap around you.

“They were my only family left” You whispered as silent tears started to run down your face. Only now the realisation settled in that all the family you had was gone. Every single one was either dead or hated you for not being who they wanted you to be. You did your best for this family and yet everyone seemed to think you weren’t good enough.

“I know, sweetheart” He arms around you tightened “And I’m so sorry. But they didn’t know you. They never gave you the chance you deserved. Because if they had they would know you are the most caring and beautiful person in the world, (y/n).”

“Doesn’t matter” You replied “they don’t want me.”

When Sam and Dean stood on your door step it reminded you so much of the night John turned up. Only John wasn’t with them this time and your two nephews were grown men.

 

“Are you (Y/n) Campbell?” The shorter of the two asked, he was still quite a bit taller than you and his eyes were definitely Campbell eyes. It wasn’t hard for you to recognize them even if you had only seen them as tiny toddlers. Call it a family instinct or whatever, but you knew who they were immediately. You couldn’t really tell who Sam was and who Dean but these were only details.

“I am” You smiled “And you are Sam and Dean, aren’t you?”

Both of them looked surprised and you almost laughed. It was so good to see them, to know how they turned out after all that happened. You might not have been a hunter anymore, but being a Campbell always opened doors to whispers and words. They might have never seen you, but you had always kept eyes and ears open for them. That’s what family did for each other.

“You know us?” It was again the shorter one speaking, his face twitched a little with aggression. The other one put his hand on his shoulder with a hissed “Dean”, but you could hear a strain in his voice too.

“Nah, Sammy, let me” Dean shrugged his brother off “She knew. She was there all this time and never bothered. Like dad said she’s not family.”

“Dad never said anything. He wrote something in a diary, over twenty years ago” Sam tried to grab his brother by the shoulder again, but Dean wouldn’t let him. The anger was now more evident on his face, but you could also see the hurt in his eyes. Dean had turned out a lot like John, but you could read his eyes like you could with most Campbell’s, like his mother Dean had Deanna’s eyes.

“Let me ask you something, auntie (y/n), is it true? Did dad show up with us here after mom died? Did you know all those years we were out there? Did you bother to look for us only once?” Dean’s eyes sparkled as he talked himself into an even greater rage “Because I doubt it. Look at you with your fancy house, your normal life and not a care in the world. You chose easy, didn’t you? Because hunting is a mess, being part of a family of hunters is a mess. And you don’t look like you’re cut out for it.”

“Dean…” Sam tried but you saw it in that moment in his eyes. Silent agreement. Sam thought exactly the same of you but he was too polite to say it. Where Dean had your mothers eyes Sam seemed to have inherited her gentleness. Deanna hadn’t been a bad mother, she had least cared about both you and Mary equally, but she also loved the keep the peace in your house. She was too gentle to ever stand up for you or herself.

“All I wanted was look you in the eyes and ask where you were all this time. But I guess I don’t need to anymore.” Dean stepped back “This is why we don’t ever get the apple pie life, Sammy. Because every time we try to get out the rest of the family gets hurt.”

And with one last angry glare Dean turned around. Shock about his words was written all over your face. You knew what happened to them, well you knew most of the stories. A yellow-eyed demon, Lucifer himself and then leviathans. Rumours spread quick these days, especially rumours about the infamous Winchesters who saved the world and came back from the dead. Your nephews were heroes, but all they saw was the bad. They looked at their lives and saw all the faces they lost, all the sacrifices made.

And as they walked away, because they blamed you for not being the family the wanted, you heard all those voices once again telling you the exact same. You looked out for your little sister till she ratted you out for something she wanted. You had looked out for Sam and Dean when their own father had tried to choose revenge over them. You had looked out for your father when you finally stood up to him to keep him from getting himself killed by trying to cheat death. And you had looked out for Sam and Dean all those years, listening out for whispers, sending money their way through Bobby Singer and praying to the angels you knew now were real every night for them. But you were not enough.

“They don’t want me, Gabe” Your voice sounded hollow “Bobby was wrong. Family doesn’t end with blood, but sometimes it also doesn’t start there.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might write a short fifth chapter on how you met Gabriel. Here’s a glimpse at your unspoken backstory with him: You met in college, decided to not kill the trickster and eventually started dating him. You would have learned that he was an archangel and he helped you keep tracks of Sam and Dean. However the one thing he could never give you was a family of your own, because he couldn’t stand the thought of you dying giving birth to a nephilim.


End file.
